Krabi, Ko Lanta

Has anyone information on these two spots. Our trip starts in Krabi
and we cannot contact the hotel (not too close to the beach, the Ao
Nang Paridise) We do not know whether we should cancel or not. We
hope someone out there has more information then us. Our departure
date is January 10th. Thanks, we are very sad for the people that
have experienced this terrible tradgedy and may have lost family
members. Del

i doubt it there is devastation and evacuation going on , its major
disaster area .
better look at not being able to get there .

Tourists told to drop trips to affected beach sites

Published on December 28, 2004

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has advised incoming tourists
with hotel reservations in tsunami-hit destinations to cancel their
trips.

The message was aimed at visitors from Scandinavia, South Korea and
Russia in particular, because they usually fly directly to Phuket and
reserve hotels by the beach.

"The situation is chaotic as tourists with advance bookings for the
disaster-hit destinations cannot get into the country," said Pornsiri
Manoharn, TAT deputy governor for international markets, adding that
the notification would be in effect for two weeks to one month.

To assist tourists, the TAT and the Thai Hotels Association have
prepared more than 1,200 rooms in Bangkok and Pattaya to accommodate
foreign tourists who were injured or left without lodgings because of
the damage to hotels by the series of tidal waves that hit the southern
provinces on Sunday morning.

Thai Airways International, Nok Air, Orient Thai and Phuket Air will
provide special flights

to transport the tourists from Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai to Bangkok.

"All expenses involved will be shouldered by the [tourism]
ministry," Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop said after
consulting Tourism Minister Sontaya Kunplome and TAT Governor Juthamas
Siriwan yesterday.

The Phuket Police Station is now serving as a tourism command centre.

Tourists can also contact special counters located at the airports in
Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Ranong and Hat Yai.

Suwat, Sonthaya and Juthamas flew to Phuket yesterday. They declined to
disclose any estimates of the cost of the damage.

Prakit Chinamourphong, vice president of the Thai Hotels Association,
said the association would prepare about 1,000 rooms for those tourists
evacuated from the many islands in the South.

Some hotels in Bangkok such as SC Park have allocated 40 free rooms for
stranded overseas tourists.

Rama Garden is offering 75 per cent discounts off its normal rates
through until Thursday. The rate includes breakfast.

Prakit said that at least 1,000 rooms were needed for tourists at the
moment.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation

RELIEF MEASURES: PM orders air drops for stranded victims

Published on Dec 27 , 2004

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday ordered the Industry
Ministry to send relief items to tidal wave victims in the South.

"Helicopters will drop drinking water and food to victims who are
trapped on several islands, and help transport them back to the
mainland," Thaksin said.

The tidal waves that hit several coastal provinces in the South left
many victims trapped on several islands. Many of them were hungry and
dehydrated yesterday.

Sitthi Lhikao, a survivor in Krabi, urged authorities to urgently send
milk for foreigners who cannot eat local food. He said people at
Krabi's rescue centre in the provincial kindergarten school were
hungry.

"Now, we have about 1,000 victims in the centre, and 80 per cent are
foreign tourists who cannot eat local food," Sitthi said.

Moreover, female foreigners in the centre - most of them in swimsuits -
were in serious need of dry clothes and sanitary napkins.

"Villagers here helped provide clothes to the victims, but it was
still not enough," he said.

He also added that the centre was in need of help. The limited amount
of money pooled from local residents was not enough

to buy food for all of those in need.

"Prices were unfairly increased. Now a bottle of drinking water and a
carton of milk cost Bt15," he said. The price rose from less than
Bt10 each.

Trang's rescue units yesterday sent out about 2,000 packages of food
and drinking water to Libong Island shortly after receiving a call from
a teacher trapped there with nearly 2,000 people.

Achara Siemmai, a teacher of Trang's Ban Thorn Rien School, said
about 2,000 residents and tourists had been gathered on the highest
point of the island since Sunday.

"Although we're safe from flooding and waves, we're facing
serious hunger [and thirst] because of limited amount of food and
drinking water," Achara said.

Authorities would immediately send hot food and drinking water and
provide rescue services, said Rattikan Kaewkhong, information officer
at Trang's rescue unit.

"Now, we are trying to search for missing people and rescue those
trapped on several islands," she said, adding that there are nearly
50 people trapped on Muk Island and Kantang Island.

Del wrote:
Has anyone information on these two spots. Our trip starts in Krabi
and we cannot contact the hotel (not too close to the beach, the Ao
Nang Paridise) We do not know whether we should cancel or not. We
hope someone out there has more information then us. Our departure
date is January 10th. Thanks, we are very sad for the people that
have experienced this terrible tradgedy and may have lost family
members.

This is a useful site - it lists the status of many of the hotels in the
affected areas in Thailand:

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/travel...2-Hotels.shtml

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 32 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu

wrote:
RELIEF MEASURES: PM orders air drops for stranded victims

Published on Dec 27 , 2004

Sitthi Lhikao, a survivor in Krabi, urged authorities to urgently send
milk for foreigners who cannot eat local food. He said people at
Krabi's rescue centre in the provincial kindergarten school were
hungry.

"Now, we have about 1,000 victims in the centre, and 80 per cent are
foreign tourists who cannot eat local food," Sitthi said.

I don't understand this. Why can't foreigners eat local food?

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 32 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu

wrote:
RELIEF MEASURES: PM orders air drops for stranded victims

Published on Dec 27 , 2004

Sitthi Lhikao, a survivor in Krabi, urged authorities to urgently send
milk for foreigners who cannot eat local food. He said people at
Krabi's rescue centre in the provincial kindergarten school were
hungry.

"Now, we have about 1,000 victims in the centre, and 80 per cent are
foreign tourists who cannot eat local food," Sitthi said.

I don't understand this. Why can't foreigners eat local food?

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos from 32 countries on 5 continents: http://travel.u.nu

In article ,
Miguel Cruz wrote:
Del wrote:
Has anyone information on these two spots. Our trip starts in Krabi
and we cannot contact the hotel (not too close to the beach, the Ao
Nang Paridise) We do not know whether we should cancel or not. We
hope someone out there has more information then us.

This is a useful site - it lists the status of many of the hotels in the
affected areas in Thailand:

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/travel...2-Hotels.shtml

Here is another useful site. Ao Nang and Krabi are actually doing
extremely well, given the circumstances. Most of the hotels were
not damaged and are operating normally.

http://www.sawadee.com/tsunami/statements.htm

http://www.sawadee.com/tsunami/hotels.htm

Since this region is so dependent on tourism, and things are relatively
normal, the best thing you can do for the Thais is to go to Krabi
and spend time & money there.

Hope this helps!


--
- myke @ umich.edu = Grad. Student Emeritus -
- mike @ mac.archive.umich.edu = MISTER archive -
- http://www-personal .umich .edu/~myke = my web page -
- Michael Dautermann... U-M Alumni calling in from way out there -

In article ,
Miguel Cruz wrote:
Del wrote:
Has anyone information on these two spots. Our trip starts in Krabi
and we cannot contact the hotel (not too close to the beach, the Ao
Nang Paridise) We do not know whether we should cancel or not. We
hope someone out there has more information then us.

This is a useful site - it lists the status of many of the hotels in the
affected areas in Thailand:

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/travel...2-Hotels.shtml

Here is another useful site. Ao Nang and Krabi are actually doing
extremely well, given the circumstances. Most of the hotels were
not damaged and are operating normally.

http://www.sawadee.com/tsunami/statements.htm

http://www.sawadee.com/tsunami/hotels.htm

Since this region is so dependent on tourism, and things are relatively
normal, the best thing you can do for the Thais is to go to Krabi
and spend time & money there.

Hope this helps!


--
- myke @ umich.edu = Grad. Student Emeritus -
- mike @ mac.archive.umich.edu = MISTER archive -
- http://www-personal .umich .edu/~myke = my web page -
- Michael Dautermann... U-M Alumni calling in from way out there -